ABOUT

Miami-based acoustic singer-songwriter SJ blends melodic folk, a chill vibe, and diverse arrangements creating an acoustically soulful groove and sound. SJ’s music draws on similarities from artists such as Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Dave Matthews while blending a spectrum of sounds from acoustic/folk to soul, and lighter pop to modern rock. Connecting his influences, an array of styles and his own personal touch, SJ is best described as an acoustically soulful folkster.

SJ is best known for his U.S. AC radio Top 10 (FMQB) charting folkie ballad, "I Like You", his first commercially released single. It is also a Top 20 song on Sirius XM's The Coffeehouse Channel. "I Like You" received a best folk/acoustic song nomination at the 2010 Hollywood Music & Media Awards, and was a grand finalist at the 2010 Festival4Stars in the UK. SJ released a Spanish-language version of the single entitled "Lo Mejor De Mi", which won First Place in the Latin category of Nashville's prestigious 2011 International Songwriting Competition, judged by Latin megastars Alejandro Sans and Chayanne. The single was co-produced by SJ with Derek Olds, and mixed/mastered by multi-Grammy Award winning engineer Carlos Alvarez (Carrie Underwood, Ricky Martin, Clay Aiken). In May 2011, SJ soft-released his first commercial LP entitled "Coffee", after a 3-month U.S. tour. "Coffee" was co-produced by SJ, Oszy Carmona and Peter Finley, mixed by multi-platinum engineer/producer Bob Rosa (Michael Jackson, Prince, Mick Jagger), and mastered by Ryan Smith of Sterling Sound (James Taylor, Rufus Wainwright, Beyonce).

Although SJ has played music as a hobby since he was 15, he has been working in the legal field for the past decade. In 2009, when family and close friends heard a demo recording, they encouraged him to share his music with others. The shift from lawyer to professional artist had begun. In just 2 years, SJ has been showcased at national music festivals including a BMI showcase, and has regularly performed at famous singer-songwriter venues from Miami to NYC to San Francisco. In June 2011, he was honored by Miami's most famous local music venue, The Van Dyke Cafe, as artist of the month, joining a long list of accomplished and world famous jazz/rock musicians and singer-songwriters.

SJ’s legal background and musical creativity give him a broader perspective in today’s rapidly changing music industry. Approaching the business and creative aspects of his career with the same commitment and effort, SJ is taking his previous day job skills and applying them to his dream job. After launching his own record and publishing companies under his Acoustic Soul™ brand, SJ, following his DIY business model, now boasts an impressive resume of award winning and nominated music as an emerging artist.

SJ is now gearing up for the hard launch and tour of "Coffee" in 2012, with U.S. and international tour dates.